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Jeff Hansel on Infinite Bliss.
Photo by Pax.
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In early 2004, an environmental advocate
read in Rock and Ice Magazine that climbers had established the "longest sport route in America" on Mount
Garfield, near North Bend, Washington. This individual had been concerned about concentrated recreational use of
various types in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the climb, Infinite Bliss (IV, 5.10b, 23 pitches), lay inside
the wilderness boundary. Seeing this route touted as an amazing accomplishment in a national climbing magazine,
he could envision hordes of climbers flocking to the area and establishing other similar routes nearby. Further,
he assumed that the route had been established with the use of a power drill.
This individual, representing the Alpine Lakes Protection Society, contacted the Forest Service to demand that
the route be removed. Forest Service personnel discussed their options, including citing the individuals involved
in creating the route and mounting an expedition to remove the bolts; they too wondered if they needed to "nip
this thing in the bud" or face an onslaught of similar route development in the immediate area of Mount Garfield.
A related issue had to do with the development of a user-built trail serving the climb, as local officials have
been trying to contain such development for years. Their discussion of these issues went on up the chain of command to Washington,
DC.
In March, 2004, the Washington Climbers Coalition offered to help the Forest Service investigate this issue. The
first thing we did was to contact the climbers involved in creating the route, and to obtain their promise not
to continue any similar development in the area. We spread the word among climbers in general that the use of power
drills in a formally designated Wilderness area is somethig that the Forest Service cannot allow and that such
practices may lead to access restrictions. In May, we toured the trail serving the route with Forest Service personnel
and representatives of two local environmental organizations.
The route has been in place for two years now, and it has seen steady but not overwhelming traffic. As far as we
are aware, there have been no other similar routes developed in the area. Not wanting to add bolting or power drill
enforcement to their list of obligations, the local Forest Service officials have elected to wait and see if further
problems develop and whether this situation will require a more active response on their part. |
